Office of the Historian

501.BC Greece/3–1847: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to Mr. Mark F. Ethridge, at Salonika

secret
us urgent
Washington, March 20, 1947—8 p. m.

21. For Ethridge.

1.
Dept would like to have earliest convenience interim appraisal general trends evidence thus far gathered by Commission. Would also like to know any evidence continuing border violations which you feel constitute aggression.
2.
Dept agreeable to steps you propose follow in obtaining consent your colleagues that Commission leave subsidiary eleven-man group in area during drafting report. (Reurtel 18, March 181). Re period after submission report to SC believe Commission itself will have to remain in existence pending SC consideration so that Commission may be available to answer any questions. Chairmen some SC Committees have presented reports personally and we assume all members UN commission will want to be present during SC’s discussion report. Thus we think terms of reference should be interpreted to include continued existence Commission pending completion SC consideration. So long as Commission itself exists, we feel that sub-commission could continue in existence on the spot to furnish Commission and SC with any information re questions that might arise after report has been drafted.
3.
Re third paragraph urtel 18. In addition to objections previously expressed re non-aggression pact, we agree with you and Windle that proposing language of agreement formulated under Litvinov would [Page 827] probably be unpalatable to Soviets now. For your info, John Laylin, member firm retained by Greek Govt as counsel, told us yesterday that he was advising Greek Govt not to approach any of three other states with suggestion that multilateral non-aggression pact be concluded.
4.
Lie’s office has issued press release stating that Commission has decided to write its report in Geneva, that advance party will arrive there on March 31 and remainder on April 10. Dept would appreciate your estimate as to how long preparation report will require.

Sent to Salonika, repeated to Athens, Belgrade, Sofia, London, Moscow, for Secretary, and New York.

Acheson
  1. Not printed, but see footnote 4, above.↩